U.S. Senator Patty Murray met with U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Merrick Garland this week. As could be expected, she followed up the meeting by calling on Senate Republicans to give Garland a “fair hearing.”
Murray then said, “I am in the U.S. Senate because of a Supreme Court hearing that went wrong.”
Of course, Murray was referring to the 1991 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing that resulted in Anita Hill’s infamous accusations of sexual harassment by U.S. Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas. Many believe that the hearing brought about the election women to the Senate in Washington, Illinois, and California to the Senate.
Apparently, Murray believes that Senate Republicans’ refusal to allow a hearing of a Supreme Court nominee during an election year is somehow comparable and would, ultimately, allow for a surge in Democrat elections.
Murray seems to be forgetting a rather important and highly relevant historical detail.
In 1992, Vice President Joe Biden, the same man who led the effort to denigrate the reputation of Clarence Thomas as the then-chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who argued that President George H.W. Bush should delay filling a Supreme Court vacancy until the presidential election was over.
Biden said that it was “essential” that the Senate refuse to confirm a nominee to the court until then. Via the New York Times:
“Some will criticize such a decision and say that it was nothing more than an attempt to save a seat on the court in hopes that a Democrat will be permitted to fill it, but that would not be our intention,” Mr. Biden said at the time. “It would be our pragmatic conclusion that once the political season is underway, and it is, action on a Supreme Court nomination must be put off until after the election campaign is over.
“That is what is fair to the nominee and essential to the process. Otherwise, it seems to me,” he added, “we will be in deep trouble as an institution.”
Thus, Murray’s hypothesis is not logical. Prior to the 1992 elections, Democrats advocated refusing to confirm any nominee put forward by the first President Bush because the “political season” was in full swing. That, as history tells us and as Murray inadvertently admitted, didn’t hold Democrats back.
Murray, once again, proves why logic continues to be a problem for her, much as it has been since being elected back in 1992.
Jim Ricketts says
Take the tennys off and put on your coat and leave us now.
Brad Fish says
Murray is a dumbass liberal who needs to GO AWAY!
jeff brave says
God we need to get rid of her! Such an Obama A** kisser. And how can anyone be as plain Jane as she it! Ugh. Kathie not Jeff
Biff says
What she inadvertently said is that she was elected solely based on her gender. Well, that and a (D) after her name. Those are some qualifications to be proud of.
Richard Halvorson says
Its simple, the Dems have selective memory!
Rick Hughes says
I am embarrassed to say she is my Senator. Proud to say I vote against her every chance I get.
John F. Ellis says
Wake up king county you keep electing a dumb ass for our senators. You got see how missed up our country and our state government is. they keep lying and twisting the truth.
Lou Caldwell says
Peppermint Patty was an idiot from the outset. When Ted Kennedy died whom did she ask if she could go pee? She followed that misfit (Kennedy) like a puppy dog. She (at best ) Has 4 active brain cells and 3 of them are on vacation. She certainly gives the State of WA a wonderful icon (NOT) this dope should never have been elected to anything, maybe dog catcher . She is a real black eye on Washington voters. Get rid of this moron
Keith Klein says
She has been an embarrassment to WA since her dishonest campaign got her elected on the back of mind-numbed liberal homers in King county. The only good thing about her is that at least she’s not as high profile as Pelosi, who is demonstrably one of the dumbest elected officials ever. CA should be hiding their heads in shame.